a matter of
idiom
1
—used to refer to a small amount
It cooks in a matter of (a few) minutes.
The crisis was resolved in a matter of a few hours.
The ball was foul by a matter of inches.
2
—used to say that one thing results from or requires another
Learning to ride a bicycle is a matter of practice.
His success was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
It's only a matter of time before/until we catch him.
3
—used to explain the reason for something
She insists on honesty as a matter of principle.
All requests for free tickets are turned down as a matter of policy.
Examples of a matter of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But considering how much a single lymphatic massage costs, this has paid for itself in a matter of weeks.
—
Francesca Krempa, StyleCaster, 4 Oct. 2025
The company said the technology allows employees to update shelf prices using a mobile app, reducing a price change that typically takes an associate two days to a matter of minutes.
—Macklin Fishman, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
In just a matter of days, the TikTok post has amassed over 2 million views and more than 334,700 likes at the time of writing.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Benefits for the federal nutrition program supporting women, infants, and children, also known as WIC, are flowing as usual for the time being, but they are projected to run dry in a matter of weeks.
—Ronald J. Hansen, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
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Francesca Krempa, StyleCaster, 4 Oct. 2025
The company said the technology allows employees to update shelf prices using a mobile app, reducing a price change that typically takes an associate two days to a matter of minutes.
—Macklin Fishman, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
In just a matter of days, the TikTok post has amassed over 2 million views and more than 334,700 likes at the time of writing.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Benefits for the federal nutrition program supporting women, infants, and children, also known as WIC, are flowing as usual for the time being, but they are projected to run dry in a matter of weeks.
—Ronald J. Hansen, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for a matter of
Cite this Entry
“A matter of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20matter%20of. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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